2nd Week in Virginia!!

Hola amigos!

This week we had zone conference where Facebook was introduced! We are 1 of 86 missions in the church using Facebook. It is going to be very interesting trying to find people using Facebook. As of right now our mission president wants us to spend 2 hours a day on Facebook, using it to teach and find people. We are definitely learning as we go along.

The weather here is really nice right now. It hasn't rained since I've been here. Its humid but not too bad.

So this week was full of watching Facebook videos and learning how to use Facebook for missionary purposes. Mom,  I am not gonna lie, it's super hard to not look up what you guys are doing or posting. This first transfer I can read emails through the week so I would love to hear what you have to say. I try not to look all the time but I do look if I am really missing you all. Just know that I really love you guys and miss you.

Right now we don't tract a lot because we have a lot of investigators to teach but right now none of them are really progressing so we are going to really start to find new people to teach. We have 11 or 12 investigators and only one came to church. So that was super lame. But we taught him after church and had a really powerful lesson with some members and I was so excited to invite him to be baptized because I was so sure he would say yes...so I invited him and he said he couldn't say yes. He says he isn't sure if he can really commit. He said he is really going to pray constantly and with his whole heart to see if this is true and what he should really do. So that is exciting!

On Saturday our stake had a day of service where they had a station to give blood, index, tie quilts, put humanitarian kits together, make cards, and some other stuff! It was super cool. Not a ton of Hispanic people came but it was fun to see so many people wanting to serve.

Saturday was also women's conference. It was awesome. We watched it English because none of our members or investigators came to the church. A little weird to watch it at 8:00 at night but super cool. I loved the first talk so much too. Watching the women's conference as a missionary was a little different because I didn't realize how much the talks apply to me as a missionary and my life before I was a missionary. Ya Know?? I also loved President Uchtdorf's talk. I can't wait to go back and read them.

 There are so many trees here. So many. You'll be driving on the freeway and not even realize you are in the middle of the city because there are so many trees. 

We got Chick-Fil-A this week

Here are two of our investigators at a party for one of their birthdays! 

First Week in Virginia!!!

Hola Family and Friends!!!

My new address::

2322 Long Boat Court
Henrico Virginia 23294

So I made it to Virginia.... it was a little rough because we flew from SLC to Atlanta and landing was definitely a little sketchy. If any of you know me and my history of motion sickness you know how that ended... HAHA!! It was a sad time but its super funny now so just laugh about it!

When we got here President Smith picked us up and took us back to the mission home and we pretty much just went to bed because it was so late! Tuesday we had some training and learned how everything works in Virginia... There were 6 other missionaries that came from the Mexico MTC that are super awesome so Elder Bird (the Spanish speaking elder from Provo MTC) and I really bonded with them and got to know them!

On Wednesday we went to a church and met our trainers! My new companion is Hermana Coleman. She is from Riverton, Utah and has been on her mission for 7 months! She is seriously so awesome and I am so thankful for her. She speaks really solid Spanish and never has communication problems with anyone! Its awesome :) She likes to run and play basketball so we have gone running a couple of times and have done some other work outs. She likes to work hard and I love her a ton. It's just her and I living in our apartment! After I met Hermana Coleman, we were on our way to the transfer meeting and I saw Allison and it was awesome. I was super excited and I cried a little because I was so excited. WE both definitely ran in the church but it was super exciting!!
Answers to some of your questions:::

My area is great! I have no idea what we really cover because Virginia is super confusing and there is not a straight street here at all!! Lots of diversity. I hardly see any white people! Its awesome. Also fun fact about Richmond: Downtown Richmond has more murders per capita than Chicago... but don't worry, its not a sister area!

We make lunch for ourselves but all the dinners are from members! We get fed so much food. I promise you I will not starve here. Anytime we go anywhere people try to feed us. One day I seriously thought I was going to throw up because I had eaten so much. So I promise there will not be any problems there! :)

Its super pretty here! There are so many trees, its insane. When you drive on the freeway all you see is trees. No buildings or houses or anything. Just trees. And they are huge trees.

I can feel the love from family for me. I can feel your prayers. I wouldn't be able to do this alone. There is no way. I don't know why its super hard at times because we aren't doing anything crazy but for some reason its pretty rough, but it's all good.

It's suggested that we don't read emails through the week... so there is that... I don't really have time to read a ton anyway...

On Wednesday we started going to people's houses and talking to investigators and stuff and I can understand a lot more Spanish than I expected. I know I am going to learn Spanish because there are a ton of Spanish speakers here!! Anyways, I can understand a ton of what is said.. most of the time. Some people from certain countries talk super fast and I have a hard time understanding but generally I can understand! However,, if I am not completely focused on what they are saying then I don't understand! Speaking is a little rough but I know I'll get there eventually. I know it will not come as fast as I want it to but I know it will come if I keep working.

We have a lot of investigators but sadly no one is really progressing. So we are trying to figure out ways to help their testimonies grow! Cool thing that happened though: We went to go teach a new investigator, Elkin. I had never met him but Hermana Coleman had taught him once before and said he is super cool and wants to learn a lot so we went to go teach him and his wife, (well we hope they are married, no one really is around here) came and sat down with us and had a ton of questions and was super interested! Then her son came and he's probably 22 and he started asking us a million questions and telling us how our church doesn't make sense and that Judaism makes way more sense and all this stuff. I really wanted to argue with him because he was speaking English - so I totally could have - but Hermana Coleman handled it like a boss and just told him that if he wanted to know he needed to read the Book of Mormon and all this stuff. I am learning so much from her and how to be a great missionary.  Anyways it was cool because Marta asked her son to leave because she wanted to keep reading in the Book of Mormon and he was not allowing us to do that!! So she wants to learn more and keep hearing from us, we have another lesson with  them this week and I'm so excited!!

On Saturday we had a fiesta of the nations at the church with all the members and it was so much fun!! Super loud Hispanic music and a ton of Hispanic food which is so good! I love the food here so much!! Church was pretty great! I could understand most of what was said. A talk was given in English by  the high councilman... that's not normal though haha!! Some of the members speak English so if someone really wanted to get to know me they would speak in English and Spanish so I could fully understand what they were saying!

P-days are different here.. there is so much more to do! We have to clean our apartment and our car.  We don't email for too long but its all good! I like it :)

Keep praying for me!

Allison and I

My comp and I

My first time having papayas 

Last Week in the MTC

Hola amigos!

This week flew by!! On Tuesday we had a devotional with Elder Oaks which was absolutely incredible. He talked about a million things! He talked about how important the resurrection is and how important it is that we are teaching of the resurrection. Also he quoted from preach my gospel like the entire time, it really emphasized how important that book is. He talked about things we will need to change in order to become a missionary, like changing our habits. He emphasized being a FULL time missionary and how that is our choice. It takes a change of mindset to do that though. then our branch president talked to us after and told us it is our decision whether we be an alright missionary, a good missionary, or an excellent missionary. And we can decide right now what we will be.

We taught one of our teachers and he treated it like a door approach and that was really different. He didn't want to let us in and that was super rough but we got through. My gospel Spanish is pretty good and my conversational is just alright so it was hard to talk to him about other things!! So pray for me for when I go to the field!!

Yesterday was my final "real" day in the MTC and that was super weird! I have enjoyed the MTC and have learned so so much. I am not ready to stop going to class and having to learn Spanish with my teachers!! But I am so so excited to go to Virginia on Monday!! I love you all!!

Hermana Hathaway and I the morning she left for Argentina

My district with one of our teachers

One Month Down..... Seventeen to Go!

Hola amigos!

I LOVED THE PICTURES OF BECKETT. I showed everyone!! If he does say my name you have to record it and send it to me!!

This week has been so fast. I blinked and it was gone! On Sunday, we heard from Gary Crittenden the managing Director of the Missionary Department. It was really cool he told us that as of Sunday there were approximately 2,694 missionaries in the MTC. That alone is such a testimony builder for me. To run something like the MTC for 2700 people is insane. Meals are crazy but everyone gets fed and its just amazing how everything works here and runs relatively smoothly. He talked about three decisions we need to make on our missions that will help us  be successful:

• Take good care of your body on your mission. 
• Serve with all your heart,  might, mind and strength. 
• Live to be worthy of the Spirit. 

These things seem to be really simple but can really determine how your mission goes. Sometimes I struggle remembering to do some of these things but this was a really good reminder for me to take care of myself so I can take care of others.

Tuesday devotional we heard from Christopher Waddle, the second counselor int he Presiding Bishopric. He talked about some concerns some of the 12 have with missionaries right now. The main thing he discussed was the importance of the Book of Mormon. They feel like it is not getting stressed like it should. Which is insane because the Book of Mormon is the most important thing we have in our gospel. It changes lives. It should be our anchor.

We taught our investigator three times this week. She committed her to baptism and she said she would get baptized on the 9th of September. (She is already a member and not actually going to get baptized but there are some people that are not actually members that some people in our district taught.) She had so many questions about the translation process of the Book of Mormon. When she finally accepted the fact the Joseph Smith was uneducated and had to do it by the power of God she realized that he was a true prophet. The next lesson we talked about the commandments like chasity, the word of wisdom, and the law of tithing. She had a hard time accepting tithing and the fact that they "are so strict". But then we shared Mosiah 2:22-24 with her where it talks about if Christ gave up his life for us, and God has given us everything that we have, we can do what He commands. The Spirit was so strong and she cried and it was incredible. She decided that she could give up a little because she has been given so much. This was in our last lesson with her and it was just amazing.

On Friday we got our travel plans!!!!! I fly out on September 11th, at like 7 am but I have to report to the travel office at 3:30!! I am so excited but super nervous because I feel like I still don't know enough Spanish! But the Lord will be with me!!

Only 1 more week in the MTC!! It insane!! :)
I love you guys all so so much!!

We attempted to match lol but it didn't work too well

Our investigator, Adrianna! She really is a happy person even though she doesn't look too happy!!